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| <-[[09 Fire Temple]]  |  [[10b Smike and the Red Dragon]]-> |
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====== 10 Outer Fane ======

<div right tip>Session \\ 2008-06-01</div>

===== Apr 26 =====

==== 11pm ====

[[Smike]] is bored.  The rest of the party is too weak to continue but he convinces [[Quell]] to go exploring.  He's confident they've emptied the mines so he doesn't expect any trouble.  [[Veelas]] is going to send his //arcane eyes// along.

The planned stroll is more lively than expected.  [[Quell]] sets off a pit trap in a smoke-filled room and falls but [[Smike]] lunges and catches him.  Later, [[Smike]] sets off a fire trap but they get through without much harm.  They eventually reach the east bridge complex only to discover they've left the keys behind.  

After trudging back [[Smike]] convinces [[Quell]] to go out again (with the keys).  They avoid the traps and reach the gate again.  The Earth keys open the door, and [[Quell]] hides [[Smike]] and himself within an //invisibility sphere// as they cross the long bridge to the Outer Fane.

Using the Earth Key they open the door at the far side and see a huge mound of earth.  The earth shifts, slides, and forms into a humanoid shape--an elder earth elemental!  [[Smike]] & [[Quell]] flee but [[Smike]] takes a huge blow.  In terror he //animorphs// into an eagle and soars past [[Quell]] back across the bridge.  The elemental bears down on them--it's body doesn't fit in the bridge tunnel but it slides through the stone ceiling as if it were water.  [[Smike]] reaches the far end only to realize he's stuck in the form of an eagle and can't dismiss the spell.  So he can't get the keys which have been transformed with his equipment into his eagle shape--they're trapped!

Without warning the gate complex doors shatter in front of them; [[Khouhn]] rushes through with [[Pthia]]!  [[Veelas]] alerted them to the danger and [[Pthia]] used a //dimensional door// to arrive quickly.

<div right tip>Session \\ 2008-11-22</div>

It is a dangerous fight, with the elemental inflicting terrible damage with each blow, but by working together the party is able to take the brute down--with [[Tak]] delivering the killing blow.

The party rests, waiting for the //Moment of Truth// (noon) so [[Pthia]] can commune with her god and recover her prayers.

===== Apr 27 =====

==== 1pm ====

The other adventurers drop from the //rope trick//, leaving Smike alone.  He snorts some powder before following.  They make their way back across the bridge to the Earth Door.  This time they find a small earth elemental but [[Tak]] charges and destroys it.

Traveling north [[Veelas]] finds a secret door on the west wall.  Through it the hall turns south and reveals a long, dangerous blade trap.  [[Pthia]] creates a //dimension door// to bypass it but can't take all the party so [[Smike]] //spiderclimbs// on the ceiling to avoid activating it.  At the far end they find another secret door that opens to a room with a large pool--the Water area.  The secret doors appear to be shortcuts to different elemental areas of the Outer Fane.

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Three minotaurs see the party emerge from the secret door.  [[Quell]] tries to bluff them but they don't fall for it and charge at the party.  

<div right tip>Session \\ 2009-01-17</div>

While the party is finishing off the minotaurs a giant turtle (Tojanida) rises out of the water, grabs [[Khouhn]], and pulls him underwater.  [[Tak]] and [[Smike]] jump in after him and [[Smike]] //animorphs// them into sharks.  [[Quell]] transforms into a merman and [[Veelas]] summons sharks to aid the party.  They free [[Khouhn]] but the fool jumps right back into the water after getting a breath of air.  Eventually they defeat the giant tojanida--[[Quell]] delivers the final blow.

Under water, the party finds a door to the south of the pool, probably the Water Door.

<div right tip>Session \\ 2009-02-07</div>

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Exploring further they are attacked by some bugbears shooting through some arrow slits.  They don't prove to be much trouble--[[Veelas]] intimidates the last one into giving some information.  It tells them:
  * They were hired by [[Nasquent]] and [[Hederack]] to guard shrine (area w/ floating black ball).
  * [[Mehunnath]] and [[Euclaux]] live down the south corridor.

They are about to kill the accursed bugbear but [[Khouhn]] refuses to let the party--he demands a fair, one-on-one, unarmed fight.  [[Tak]] volunteers.  [I wonder how that fight went--[[Tak]] is more interested in efficiency than fairness. - [[Smike]]]  Meanwhile, [[Smike]] tries to investigate the floating ball in the shrine but he can't reach it so he returns to the party.

[[Veelas]] //arcane eyes// down the corridor.  The adventurers judge they should rest before tackling the challenges he foresees.

==== 10pm =====

<div right tip>Session \\ 2009-02-14</div>

[[Smike]] is behaving oddly, [[Pthia]] begins to suspect he is on drugs.  [[Quell]] remembers a plant powder in Rastor that can cause odd behaviour.  [[Smike]] admits to taking a powder he was told would help reduce fire damage.  [[Khouhn]] holds [[Smike]] down while [[Veelas]] lifts a pouch from him.  [[Pthia]] & [[Tak]] take the pouch and dump the powder.  In desperation, [[Smike]] turns into a badger to escape [[Khouhn]]'s grasp.  [[Quell]] alters [[Smike]]'s memory to forget that the party took his powder.  [[Smike]] only knows he's lost his powder and is beginning to suffer withdrawal.  Party rests further until [[Pthia]] can pray to help get [[Smike]] detoxified.

===== Apr 28 =====

==== 12am ====

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The second rope trick is suddenly dispelled and the party tumbles out to the ground to find themselves surrounded by ogres and a cleric.  The cleric fells [[Pthia]] before she flees.  The rest of the party take out the ogres and [[Quell]] heals [[Pthia]].

<div right tip>Session \\ 2009-02-28</div>

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In gated room to south adventurers fight two female nagas: [[Mehunnath]] & [[Euclaux]].

==== 2am ====

The party agrees to split up: [[Pthia]] will take [[Tak]] & [[Smike]] back to Mariah's temple while [[Veelas]], [[Khouhn]], & [[Quell]] stay behind.  ([[Pthia]] can't take all but they feel [[Smike]]'s withdrawal symptoms are getting serious.  At the temple [[Smike]] is cured and they rest.

==== 2pm ====

[[Pthia]] returns with [[Tak]] & [[Smike]].  While the party prepares to set out again [[Veelas]] //arcane eyes// further west and north down the hall.  [[Veelas]] reports slaves and [[Khouhn]] rushes out to free them.  The party follows but [[Veelas]] is more interested in a mysterious door--he //accidentally// directs them straight to it.  

The door seems to have a demonic will and resists opening.  //Duels of will// leave [[Khouhn]], [[Pthia]], & [[Tak]] fatigued.  [[Khouhn]] bashes the door down but breaks his magic greataxe in the process.

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The axe held personal significance to [[Khouhn]]: it was his only link to [[Krulla]].  Before he can reflect on the metaphysical implications of its destruction the party is attacked by a //mind flayer// who stuns [[Khouhn]], [[Tak]], & [[Quell]].

<div right tip>Session \\ 2009-03-15</div>

The mind flayer is hovering out of reach over a deep pit.  It compels [[Tak]] to "leave and never return" but [[Quell]] is able to //modify his memory// so he forgets the compulsion.  [[Pthia]] //flies// over to engage it in melee but it stuns her and she hangs in the air, helpless.

Despite his fatigue, [[Khouhn]] attempts to jump over the pit and catch the mind flayer...he misses and falls to the bottom, but suffers little harm.  At the bottom he discovers a cave opening to a huge room, the mind flayer's lair.  He calls back to the mind flayer, threatening its property.  The mind flayer disappears.

[What happens to Pthia?]

[[Pthia]] returns, charging through a rent in space, and drives her sword through the shocked mind flayer.  Later, while searching its home, [[Smike]] discovers a prophecy on parchment: "A daughter of Mariah shall be your doom!"

On investigating its lair the party encounters locations that generate horrible visions of an opulent city where ostentatious mind flayers feast on the brains of living prisoners.  The scenes are too much for [[Khouhn]].  He already believes the breaking of his axe is a sign from the gods--but he didn't understand why they took this treasured item from him.  Now, seeing this extravagant horror, he thinks he understands why--the gods are telling him greed walks hand-in-hand with true evil.  Only by denouncing all wealth can he travel the path the gods intend for him.  On the spot he throws off all his armour and gaudy equipment and vows to live a simple life in poverty.  He trusts his care to the celestials rather than weapons, armour, or treasure.  ([[Tak]] collects the riches [[Khouhn]] discards.)

Meanwhile, [[Veelas]] discovers a secret door on the east wall.  Not feeling they have time to explore thoroughly they block the door with the //immovable rod// and go back up to free the slaves [[Veelas]] saw earlier.  [[Tak]], [[Khouhn]], & [[Pthia]] are still exhausted so they need to rest--[[Veelas]] prepares a //rope trick// in the library while he, [[Smike]], and [[Quell]] explore the books.

==== 11pm ====

After resting the party proceeds along the corridor towards the slaves' location.  Suddenly, [[Veelas]] raven caws in alarm and rushes away, leaving the party //shaken//.  They proceed cautiously but notice no danger until...a huge burst of flames encompasses them!  [[Quell]] catches the brunt of it and falls to the ground, motionless.

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It's a red dragon!  The party scatters.  [[Smike]] becomes //invisible//, [[Tak]] rushes in to fight, [[Khouhn]] chases after him, and the rest prepare an escape.  [[Tak]] tries to fight the dragon single-handedly but is hopelessly outmatched--the dragon seriously wounds him with her talons and jaws.  [[Khouhn]] catches [[Tak]] as he's about to fall and pulls him away towards [[Pthia]] as she prepares to //teleport// them away to safety.

[[Pthia]], [[Khouhn]], [[Tak]], & [[Veelas]] jump through the //teleportation// rift but it closes before [[Smike]] can follow.  [[10b Smike and the Red Dragon | Smike is left behind]] with [[Quell]], if he's still alive.
